Smoothies, coffee spike McDonald's July sales

CHICAGO (AP) — McDonald's Corp. posted its biggest monthly increase of a key U.S. sales figure in more than a year on Monday, saying its new fruit smoothies and frappes were a hit with customers during a hot and steamy July.

In the U.S., sales at restaurants open at least 13 months climbed 5.7 percent — its biggest monthly increase since it recorded a 6.1 percent gain in April 2009.

Overall, the measure rose 7 percent around the globe. It climbed 5.3 percent in Europe and 10.1 percent in the rest of the world, the world's largest hamburger chain said in a statement on Monday.

The figure is considered an important gauge of a restaurant chain's performance because it excludes the effects of restaurants that open or close during the year.